Engine starts good

TOMMYROSSON

MEMBER

13 POSTS

1999 NISSAN SENTRA

124,000 MILES

Engine starts good. Idles good at 1000 to 1500 RPM. At 1500 starts missing. After 30 seconds runs OK at 1500. Raise to 2000 RPM. Starts missing. After 30 -45 seconds runs good. Raise to 2500 RPM. Starts missing. After 30-45 seconds runs good. Raise to 3000. Starts missing. Sometimes after 4-5 minutes starts running good, sometimes don't. Turn off engine. Started again after overnight. Same sequence. Started again after 4 hours, ran good immediatly. Started again after 2 hours. Missing as in initial sequence.
Started 30 minutes later. Running good at all RPM's. New plugs set at.040. New coil/distributor cap. Timing set at 8 deg. BTDC. Plug wires OHM'd at 6.5K to 11.2K.
No hose leaks found. Originally no engine codes. After unpluging MAF while engine running, now have codes PO100, PO3400, P1320. Can't get codes to erase with my code scanner so I can recheck for new codes. I'm baffeled. Help.

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Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 AT 3:04 AM

20 Replies

KHLOW2008

EXPERT

42,237 POSTS

P0100 is the MAF problem but the others are not.
P0340 - Camshaft Position Sensor.
P1320 - Ignition signal.

You are not able to erase all codes or only some codes?

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Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 AT 5:04 PM

TOMMYROSSON

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13 POSTS

No. Left battery cables unhooked all night. Didn't erase any of the codes. Scanner read codes but when I try to erase all, it says improper connection. Using Actron CP9145 scanner. Started car this morning. Idled good at 1100 RPM. Push on gas pedal, RPM moves up to about 1400 RPM, starts missing then immediately drops back down to 1100 RPM while missing continueosly. Release gas pedal, RPM stays at 1100 RPM, stops missing.

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Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 AT 7:15 PM

TOMMYROSSON

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13 POSTS

Started car again a few minutes ago. Ran good up to 3500 RPM this time. Then started missing. RPM wouldn't go over 3500 RPM without missing. This time. Outside air temp. About 60 deg.

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Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 AT 7:42 PM

TOMMYROSSON

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Started car again about 45 minutes later. Runnig good at all RPM's. If I wait a few hours or overnight, it all begins again. Missing.

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Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 AT 8:07 PM

KHLOW2008

EXPERT

42,237 POSTS

Try clearing the codes with a different scan tool.

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Thursday, December 20th, 2012 AT 11:20 AM

KHLOW2008

EXPERT

42,237 POSTS

After disconnecting battery, did you check the codes before starting engine?

Started car one more time. Check engine light came back on. Code P0301, cylinder # 1 misfire. Engine missing. Let engine idle until it came up to operating temp, then engine smothes out at any RPM.

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Sunday, December 23rd, 2012 AT 9:08 PM

KHLOW2008

EXPERT

42,237 POSTS

Some code requires two trips to trigger the MIL therefore the first start did not show the MIL.

Now that only one problem is indicated clearly, it would be much easier to work on.

Misfiring on cylinder # 1, possible causes :
1. Spark plug. Recheck plug and swap with another cylinder.
2. Plug wires. Ensure connections are tight and secure. If this is not OEM, check the wires carefully. The terminals at plug side tends to be pushed back into the cover and not allowing it to be seated well onto the spark plug.
3. Fuel injector. Ensure the connector is clean and tight.
4. Valve clearance. Check and see if any are out of specs.

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Sunday, December 23rd, 2012 AT 9:24 PM

TOMMYROSSON

MEMBER

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Well the mystery continues. I swaped fuel injectors between no. 1 cylinder and next one to it. Cleared codes. Started car. Missing initally. Read codes. PO300, random misfire. Let engine idle until it reached operating temperture. Stopped missing. Cleared codes again. Ran car for 5 miles. Ran great. No check engine light. Started again 2 days later. Missing again but still no check engine light. Read codes. Now reads crankshaft position sensor even though check engine light didn't come on. Some oil leaking on floor right below sensor.? I guess I could put in new sensor and O-ring to stop oil leak. But. What baffles me is car runs great after reaching operating temperture. About 5+ minutes of idling.

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Friday, January 4th, 2013 AT 4:06 AM

KHLOW2008

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42,237 POSTS

What is the code now?
Have the engine cpompression tested with cold engine.
Did you test the coil packs? Ignition components are affected by temperature if they are failing.

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Friday, January 4th, 2013 AT 12:50 PM

TOMMYROSSON

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Cleared codes again. Started car. Still missing when cold. Warmed engine up, runs great. Drove about 8-10 miles. Ran good. No check engine light come on. Scanned codes. Coolant temp. Sensor code came up but I think it was because I unhooked it while engine was running and missing to see if it changed anything. It didn't. Let engine cool overnight. Started again. Still missing until engine warms up. Put in a new coolant temp. Sensor just to try. Didn't help. Still missing until engine warms up. Compression good on all cylinders. Is coil in distributor? I put on new coil/distributor/cap assembly.

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Saturday, January 12th, 2013 AT 10:34 PM

KHLOW2008

EXPERT

42,237 POSTS

Have the plug wires ohmed out.
Check and ensure the wires and tight and secure. Problem is most likely due to plug wire faults.

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Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013 AT 2:30 PM

TOMMYROSSON

MEMBER

13 POSTS

Put new plug wires on. Connections tight. No change. So far, new coil/distributor/cap, new plugs, new plug wires, new coolant temp. Sensor, timing good, compression good, fuel injectors good. Start engine, try to drive, misses and sputters, will only get up to about 15 MPH initially reguardless of how much I push on gas pedal, as engines warms, speed slowly increases until it eventually warms enough that it starts runnig great. Total time until it starts running good depends on outside temperature; 5 to 10 minutes usually.

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Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013 AT 5:33 PM

TOMMYROSSON

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Forgot one thing. No trouble codes found. No check engine light. Even after driving over ten miles, letting engine cool overnight, and restarting next day. Still missing but no codes.

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Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013 AT 5:46 PM

KHLOW2008

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42,237 POSTS

What is the idling speed at startup?

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Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013 AT 5:51 PM

TOMMYROSSON

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About 1000-1100.

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Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013 AT 10:05 PM

KHLOW2008

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42,237 POSTS

For cold start, the idling speed seems to be a little low. What is the idling after warming up and how long does it take for the rpm to drop to operating idling speed?

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Thursday, January 24th, 2013 AT 2:52 PM

TOMMYROSSON

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Started car this morning. Outside temp. 49 deg. On initial start up, engine was missing at 1000 RPM. After idling for about a minute, engine RPM rose to 1200 RPM and not missing at this RPM. At this point I haven't touched accelerator After idling another 3 or 4 minutes, RPM slows down to 900 RPM with no missing. I press on accelerator and engine starts missing at 1400 RPM. I let idle another 2 or 3 minutes at 900 RPM. I Press on accelerator and engine starts missing at about 1600-1700 RPM.
I let engine idle another 3-4 minutes at 900 RPM, then press on accelerator and engine "stops missing" at any RPM, 900 up to over 4000. Temp. Gauge rose a little over 1/3 of the way during this time. Total time was about 12 minutes.

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Saturday, January 26th, 2013 AT 8:17 PM

KHLOW2008

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42,237 POSTS

Were the fuel pressure checked?
Try cleaning the throttle body and IAC.